I was struck on learning about the profound generosity of Venerable Archbishop Teofilo Camomot. Archbishop Camomot is a native of Carcar City in Cebu province. He is being considered for sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church for his known holiness particularly manifested in the generosity he showed towards poor people.
Archbishop Camomot was born on March 3, 1914 to Luis Camomot and Angela Bastida. He was ordained a priest on December 14, 1941 by then Cebu Archbishop Garbiel M. Reyes. He was consecrated as Auxiliary Bishop of Jaro in Iloilo on May 29, 1955 by Cebu Archbishop Julio Cardinal Rosales. In 1959, he was appointed as coadjutor archbishop with right of succession in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro.
His shrine is located in the compound of the Daughters of St. Teresa (DST) convent in Valladolid, Carcar City, Cebu. The place is solemn and fit for meditation. Below is the picture of the shrine where the relics of the Venerable Teofilo is being kept for veneration of the faithful.
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| Facade of Domus Teofilo |
Near the entrance of the convent, you can find the beautiful Chapel of St. Teresa de Avila. It has a lovely altar and at the back is the former tomb of the venerable archbishop.
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| St. Teresa de Avila Chapel where the tomb of Venerable Teofilo Camomot is formerly located. |
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| The captivating altar of the chapel with the statue of St. Teresa de Avila on the right side. |
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| The mausoleum for Venerable Teofilo before he was exhumed for transfer to the current shrine. |
There is a section in the convent compound where the devotees testified of the graces they received via the intercession of the venerable archbishop. Many testified on having been cured of serious illnesses.
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| Testimonies on the powerful intercession of Venerable Teofilo Camomot. |
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| A testimony of a devotee. |
I was greatly moved on learning that Venerable Teofilo even pawned his pectoral cross just to give the proceeds to the poor. Pectoral cross is part of the episcopal insignia, and that act itself made me think that Archbishop Camomot is more concerned about the plight of his flock than the trappings of episcopal power. Quite an appropriate model for Pope Francis' advocacy against careerism of the clergy in the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. It was Ricardo Cardinal Vidal who replaced the venerable archbishop's pectoral cross on noticing that he was not wearing one and on having learned that he pawned it to help the poor.
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| A mural depicting Venerable Teofilo pawning his pectoral cross just to give the proceeds to the poor. |
Ricardo Cardinal Vidal also gave testimony on the bilocation of the venerable archbishop, and he advocated for his sainthood because he believed in his holiness.
I also learned from one of the DST sisters there that because of Venerable Teofilo's love for the poor, he would even donate the curtains of his house to them. This is reflective of what Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David said that "Bishops have no business living in a palace." This is in reference to the customary way of calling the bishop's residence as "Palacio."
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| Mangoes being sold by the Daughters of St. Teresa (DST) sisters. |
For Venerable Teofilo Camomot's love for the poor and profound holiness, God may have a palatial reward for him in eternity. This is our hope for his sainthood. As such, I join in the prayers of Cebuanos that "Ibayaw si Venerable Teofilo Camomot sa kadungganan nga altar."
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